How to select a wire harness tester

March 6, 2012 - PRLog -- A wire harness tester should be able to do more than verify proper assembly of a wire harness or cable assembly.  Of course, testing the harness for continuity and shorts is its most important function, but the tester should also be capable of more. Much more, in fact.

A wire harness tester should be able to print a product label when the wire harness passes.  When the tester controls the product label printing process, only good wire harnesses get product labels.  This enhances the process of segregating good product from bad, and is superior to using pre-printed labels.  In addition to "static" data such as the company name, the tester should also be able to print "dynamic" data such as the current date and time or a unique serial number.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are capable of printing labels with static and dynamic data.

A wire harness tester should be able to communicate with a PC in order to display enhanced graphics of the harness connectors associated with error conditions, or to display special instructions or videos. This maximizes the operator's effectiveness in assembling and testing the wire harness.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are capable of communicating with a PC to support these functions using NX View software.

A wire harness tester should be able to generate a report of test results.  The tester should provide multiple options for transmitting and storing the report data.  For instance, the wire harness tester should be able to send the report to a server over a network, or store the report on a memory card, or send the report to a dedicated PC.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are capable of generating reports and storing/transmitting them in a variety of ways.

A wire harness tester should be able to control multiple outputs.  Wire harness testing processes often involve activating a marking device, releasing a locking fixture clamp, or some other electrically-actuated operation.  The wire harness tester should offer this capability in a scalable fashion, allowing for many control outputs.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are capable of controlling multiple outputs using the Control Port Module for up to two outputs, or by using the Modular Control System for larger numbers of outputs.

A wire harness tester should be able to illuminate fixture mounted LEDs.  Many wire harness assemblers build their fixture boards with LED indicator lamps - one LED per fixture block.  When an error occurs, the wire harness tester illuminates the LEDs on the fixture blocks that are associated with the error condition, thus enabling the operator to quickly identify the source of the problem.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are capable of illuminating fixture mounted LEDs.

A wire harness tester should be able to provide resistance measurement capabilities in the milliohm range.  This is done with 4-wire Kelvin testing techniques.  Additionally, the wire harness tester should provide sub-ohm measurement resolution with standard 2-wire testing methods.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are capable of these sub-ohm measurements.

A wire harness tester should be networkable, allowing for communication with a server for the purpose of downloading test programs or uploading and storing test results.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are capable of communicating with the NX Server over a network.

When hipot testing is required, a wire harness tester should be able to supply either AC or DC voltages. This provides maximum flexibility for meeting hipot test requirements.  NX Hipot Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are available with AC/DC capabilities.

A wire harness tester should be secure from tampering by unauthorized personnel.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems require a special Supervisor Key to gain access to setup and configuration functions.

A wire harness tester should be able to automatically select and execute a test program.  NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems are capable of automatically executing a test program by using a bar code scanner.  The scanner is used to input the part number.  The NX Tester responds by searching through its program directory or through the program directory on the server for the associated test program, and automatically launches it.

NX Wire Harness Testers from Dynalab Test Systems have even more features than are listed here.  Please contact Dynalab Test Systems to learn about a no-obligation 60 day evaluation for our customers in North America.  Additional information about NX Wire Harness Testers is available on our website: http://www.dynalabtesters.com

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Dynalab Test Systems, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of wire harness testers. Dynalab Test Systems supplies test equipment to many of the largest wire harness manufacturers in the world. With over 25 years of experience and over 25,000 testers sold, Dynalab Test Systems offers products that reflect an extensive level of industry knowledge and experience. The company’s systems, software, and services are designed to help wire harness manufacturers develop solutions for their testing needs quickly, reliably, and economically.